Wednesday, October 10, 2012

THEATRE REVIEWS: "Jekyll & Hyde" at Broadway SD and "The Exit Interview" at San Diego REP

Wild
vs. Wacky

By Donnie Matsuda

This
past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing two very unconventional pieces of
theatre.One was a wild ride and the
other was a wacky one.Here are my
reviews of the Broadway-bound premiere of “Jekyll and Hyde” at Broadway San
Diego and the rolling premiere of “The Exit Interview” at San Diego REP.

“Jekyll
& Hyde” a Wild Ride

He’s
a tough one to like, that Dr. Jekyll. So is his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde.

The
same can be said for the new Broadway-bound musical that unites the two prickly
personalities under one title.The Nederlander-produced
“Jekyll and Hyde,” which kicked off its multi-city tour here in San Diego
before it ends up on the Great White Way in 2013, definitely has its mood
swings.At times, it can be thrilling
and electrifying with its soaring anthems and incredible voices, thanks largely
to the devilish machinations of Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis and the
raspy, earthy tones of Grammy-nominated R&B Superstar Deborah Cox.But then, the whole thing kind of derails in
parts when the propulsive (though mostly unmemorable) new Frank Wildhorn score
achieves ear-shattering levels and the ensemble cast screams through
incomprehensible lyrics, all the while larger-than-life projections of fire
engulf the stage.It is those moments
that are the hardest to bear, and one can only wonder what purpose they are to
serve here.Perhaps they are intended to
add an edgy, rock-concert vibe to the proceedings, or perhaps they are meant to
add more melodrama to an already overly self-indulgent spectacle.Or perhaps they are just experimental filler.

Regardless,
there are still some redeeming elements in this breakthrough revival, which
itself is quite different than the original 1990 concept album (featuring Colm
Wilkinson and Linda Eder) and the original Broadway production (which played
the Plymouth Theatre from 1997-2001, featuring Robert Cuccioli and Linda Eder).The story, which is supposed to be based on
the acclaimed Robert Louis Stevenson novella about a London doctor who
accidentally unleashes his evil alternate persona while trying to cure his
father’s illness, has shifted focus here.Now, the plot features the five members of the Board of Directors at a
London hospital: a snide bishop (David Benoit), a foolish general (Aaron
Ramey), a righteous Lord (Brian Gallagher), a clueless Lady (Blair Ross), and a
Sir (Mel Johnson, Jr.). As we see them
pompously perched on their thrones evenly spaced across the stage proscenium –
some evocative staging by Broadway director and Old Globe favorite Jeff Calhoun
– there’s an almost palpable sense of revenge bubbling in the “good” doctor’s
veins as his proposal to use a new serum on human subjects is flatly
denied.

Instead,
the “good” doctor takes matters into his own hands (or is it veins?) as he
returns to his laboratory and hooks himself up to some uber-cool,
color-changing tubes filled with enough of a mysterious bubbly potion to
completely alter his entire sense of self.The spectacles come off, the hair grows long and unruly, and the murder-hungry
Hyde emerges ready to seek revenge.It
is only a matter of a few bloody minutes - in a heart-pounding Act 2 opener - before
we see the same Board of Directors get disposed of one by one, eventually perched
up on their deathbeds in place of their thrones.Fortunately, that’s not all there is to the
story (or else it would make for a very short second act!).There’s a much-needed second plotline that involves
Jekyll’s soon to be wife, a pure-as-snow Emma Carew (a gloriously voiced Teal
Wicks) and the other woman in the doctor’s life, his lustful prostitute Lucy (a
gritty Deborah Cox).While this intriguing
love triangle ends up going nowhere very quickly, it at least provides for some
of the show’s best songs: a soaring “This is the Moment” in Act 1 and a
stirring “In His Eyes” in Act 2.

Much
of the show’s edgy steampunk vibe is sharply enhanced by its technical wizardry.Kudos to scenic designer Tobin Ost who works
wonders constructing a dark, barren, and hazy feel to the proceedings, with
massive cinematic set pieces all framed by a moving proscenium arch outlined in
bold neon lights.Ost also provides some
exquisite high-society get-ups that are appropriate for 19th century
London and his entire design scheme is eerily lit by Jeff Croiter’s lights and
set in motion by Daniel Brodie’s splashy projections. Sound designer Ken Travis keeps it all surprisingly
well balanced, though there are times that the shrill-sounding 11-piece
orchestra clashes with the screaming and screechy voices to effect a few “nails
on a chalkboard” moments.

So,
much like its dually conflicted title character, there are both “good” and
“bad” elements of this “Jekyll & Hyde.”With explosive voices, over-the-top characters, and dynamic staging, it
is probably best to just surrender to this overdone, self-indulgent spectacle and
enjoy its dark and wild side.

“The
Exit Interview” a Wacky Ride

What
do you get when you mix together a couple of socially and politically savvy cheerleaders,
a slick Fox News reporter with a penchant for too much makeup, a well-meaning
but smug HR director grappling with the age old question of “why, God, why?”,
two German mothers engaged in endless “small talk,” an oboe-obsessed
ex-girlfriend with a fanatical right-wing mother, a product-placement pushing
priest, and an agnostic university professor who specializes in the works of
Bertolt Brecht?

Well,
in the opinion of those of us who see plays for their logical progression and
thoughtful/insightful exploration of ideas via well-timed thematic arcs, the
short answer would be a total theatrical mess.But
in the case of “The Exit Interview,” William Missouri Down’s satirical
examination of faith and fate in the 21st century, things don’t come
off as terribly disorganized as they sound.Okay, perhaps they do, but that’s part of the point here.You
see, Down’s takes a Brechtian approach to his storytelling, allowing for a
number of dramatic turns in which he (shown via video feed riding his horse or
working in his “office” smack dab in the middle of a forest somewhere in the
Midwest) stops the show and changes the script as it is being performed, frequently
inserting totally random scenes in Brecht’s native Germanic tongue.And, in order to fully expose the process
rather than the product, Downs ensures that the stagehands are always visible
and that they enact intentionally clumsy and abrupt scene changes.Lucky for us, in case we need any help with
this Brechtian break away from “realism,” we have an expert in the field,
fictional college professor Dick Fig (an easygoing Herbert Siguenza) whose exit
interview with HR director Eunice (a hare-brained Linda Libby) tries to provide
some thematic continuity to the entire piece.

The Cast of "The Exit Interview." Courtesy SD REP.

It
all comes together as a wacky series of Saturday Night Live comedy sketches,
thanks to the (mostly) funny material and absurd characters provided by Downs,
the spitfire direction by REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse,
and the ace cast of six actors who seamlessly morph into a number of kooky
supporting characters that keep the comedic charade going.Particularly impressive are JoAnne Glover and
Lisel Gorell-Getz who work their pom-poms while cheering about existential
angst; Fran Gercke as a parish priest who pushes the divine enjoyment of Diet
Coke while, well, it is not quite clear what his role in the show is; and Nick
Cagle as a preening Fox News reporter who is only concerned about his image…and
about pushing his right-wing agenda.

Without
a doubt, you will leave the theatre scratching your head and wondering “what
does it all mean?”And that’s the point
of this world premiere piece, which is the second of five “rolling” premieres
which are occurring all over the U.S. under the auspices of the National New
Play Network.In true Brechtian fashion,
it’s not about the messy process of the play itself: it’s about the meaningful
discussions about religion, sex, and politics that it engenders on the car ride
home.

So,
gather your most liberal and intellectual of friends and get ready to take
in all the craziness!

Things to know before you go:
Jekyll & Hyde presented by Broadway San Diego played
at The San Diego Civic Theatre at 3rd and B Street from October 2 –
7, 2012.Running time was 2 hours and 30
minutes with a 20 minute intermission.Ticket
prices vary.For more information and to
purchase tickets, visit TicketMaster.com, call (888) 937-8995, or visit
www.BroadwaySD.com.

Things to know before you go: The
Exit Interview presented by San Diego REP plays in the
Lyceum Space at Lyceum Theatre through October 21, 2012.Running time is 2 hours 20 minutes with one
15 minute intermission.For more
information or to purchase tickets, call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

About The Drama King

Dr. Donnie Matsuda recently moved to San Diego from the SF Bay Area. He earned his bachelor's degree in Human Biology from Stanford University, where he founded and served as editor-in-chief of the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal. He went on to earn an M.D. from Stanford's School of Medicine and he has come to San Diego to start a new life and a new career path.
Donnie's love affair with the theatre began at the age of 8 when he started singing and dancing with Galena Street East Productions. Since then he has played many roles in the Bay Area theatre scene, including choreographer, assistant director, dance captain, tech director, propmaster, arts administrator, and of course, performer. He is enjoying his newest role as theatre critic and is excited to be part of the San Diego theatre community.
Feel free to contact Donnie via e-mail at: doctordonnie1@gmail.com